Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-01-05
JUDGE MOODY.
One of DakOta's United
States Senators Defines
his Position.
IA Reply to Criticisms Brought Out
by the Publicity Given the
HaiHes Letter.
To ths Press and pnhntnian.

To the Press and DdkotdiaR.
Eeadwood, Oak, Dec. 81, 1SS6-Again
the Monster who Furnishes for violation
OF that axiom, "it Is better to 60 ahun-
dred miles than Il write a letter" has
s..vicsim.
Your copy from the Huronlte OF the
article wherein my Indifferent, outrage
Gus and reasonable conduct is sharply
contracted with the patriotic prefor-
nance OF duty by my friend Judge
Edgerton, without comment and with
apparent approval.
The friends Of the effort to habiiitate
south Dakota with statehood cannot af-
ford to be unjust or even unkind toward
each other.
I received from Mr.. Haines q letter
giving information Of the proposed
meeting of the constitutional convention
and legislature at Huron on the 10th Of
December, and asking my views ss to
the propriety of setting the state govern
ment in operation. I answered his
letter frankly, without any intention OF
having it read at such meeting or of its
publication. / have 10 criticism to
make because he caused 10Y letter tc be
read, bnt I regret that inasmuch as it
was, he did not give it to the reporters
that it might be published in full. I
did not characterize the meeting at
Huron as q farce. l have always
been glad when any portion OF the
friends Of south Dakota statehood have
met together for consultation anywhere,
as it tended to keep the effort before the
minds Of the people Of the proposed
state and before the people of the
country, and have always regretted
whenever / have been unable to attend
such conferences. l did say, and out Of
that ! have nc doubt grew the report
made by your correspondent aud some
Others. that I did not know what the
people of eastern Dakota might think of
attempting to put in operation the
state government, but I was confident
the people of this western portion would
regard it unfavorably and think the
attempt would be the subject Of much
ridioule. I did say that I was still
strongly opposed to any such attempt.
1 an yet. Not because I would not be
willing to throw the tea into the harbor
and refuse to pay stamp duties il !
thought that anything in that direction
could possibly be of effect. I yield to
10 person in the desire to have the pee
pie of south Dakota clothed with the
attributes Of America citizens and givep.
the right OF self.government. The
existing condition is intolsrabls. 1t is
nearly in every respect analogous to the
condition Of che colonies when they
revolted against Great Britain.
The colonial system against which
they rebelled wss indeed ortter than the
system under which tins pe. ole are la
boring. Necessity required the colonies
In their early history and feeble condi-
ton to have the support OF the home
government. While that necessity ex-
listed they were glad to avail themselves
of this aid. When that necessity ceased
to exist, then the spirit which prevades
universally the conglomerate rsce plant
ed in America, which leads it to insist
upon self-government. led the colonies
to revolt against that dependent condi-
ton and to insist upon the heritage of
the Saxon race, local self-goyernment.
While the territories OF the United
States are occupied by but few. and the
communities therein are weak and unable
to care for themselves, they readily
yield to the necessity Of having aid and
assistance and protection from congress.
When they have arrived &C the years of
manhood, when they have become
strong as Dakota has, able to care for
themselves, the territories revolt, as did
the colonies, against q continuance of
that dependent condition and the denial
to them Of this grand heritage, self-gov-
ernmeEts. And Dakota to-day would be
as completely justified in auy attempt
to assert the right OF the people in this
respect al were the colonies.
So, I say, if could see any way by
which these people, could escape from
this disgraceful condition and success
fully assert their manhood and their
rights as Amer,can citizens, I would not
hesitate to follow in that way. but I have
been unable TO see any way, nor has any
been pointed out by any of the dist,n-
guished gentlemen who assert I'VE are q
%state," by which ne can become one
without the consent of congress, unless
by rebellion and revolution.
The trouble is that those who we're
oppressed have become the oppressora,
and they look At this squestion from the
standpoint of oppressors. Great Britain
claimed absolute authority ever the
colonies, the congress and government
OF the United States claim the same
absolute authority over the territories.
The British crown appointed governor,
Judges and other governmental officers
then, the president by the power of the
constitution and the laws Of congress
hereunder, does the like for the terri
ritories. Now, Great Britain allowed
local legislature in the colonies to pass
laws subject to repeal and revision by
parliament; the president and congress